Wednesday, September 28, 2016

For many cardmakers, masculine-themed cards are a challenge to make. How fitting, then, that this week's challenge, hosted by Kath, is to do a masculine-themed project. I guarantee you will find something to inspire you for the next time you need to make a card for a man in your life, whether he is husband, father, uncle, grandfather, son, brother or a friend.

My card uses a technique called Triple Time Stamping, which is a process where three layers of card stock, of different sizes, and piled on top of each other, and then the images stamped randomly so they are on each of the layers.

Sound confusing? Here's what I mean:

The stamped-on layers are crumb cake and the bee is embossed with Copper Embossing Powder. The in-between layers are from the Neutrals Designer Series Paper Stack. A sentiment from the same stamp set as the bee image - Pun Intended - is stamped with Early Espresso ink.

I love that sentiment, and it makes this a card to suit any occasion - or no occasion at all! Just beecause.

Here's a close-up:

Now visit the Watercooler Wednesday blog to see what the other Watercooler Artists have done and once you have your inspiration, let us see it!

Friday, September 23, 2016

Since I moved back in June of this year, I haven't had television service. Instead, I've been spending waaaaayyyyy too much time on YouTube!

I've become more and more intrigued by Mixed Media and have watched dozens of videos by various artists. What I like about the concept is there is no right or wrong - kind of like stamping. And there are as many styles as there are artists. Again, just like stamping.

One artist I keep going back to is Cat Hand. She has done a series of YouTube videos called Mixed Media Morsels. Each video shows a specific technique, which she explains and demonstrates, and then does a small page for a mini art journal.

As I've been watching these videos, I've been wanting to dive in and give it a try. I don't need specialized equipment - I already have tons of cardstock, inks, markers, etc. Well, I did go to the local art supply store and bought gel pens in various colours. And a white paint pen.

Many mixed media artists use magazine pages, book pages, anything made out of paper, really. So when I was working on some stamping projects the other day, and they weren't working out as I had pictured in my head, a lightbulb went on and I knew it was time to salvage my efforts by trying some mixed media.

And this is what I did:

I didn't think to take a before picture - just believe me when I tell you it wasn't pretty!

I started with a piece of Stampin' Up! Whisper White cardstock. First, I did a watercolour wash using the background stamp of the same name, inked with Peekaboo Peach and Pumpkin Pie inks. Then I used another background stamp - retired, but a favourite - called Sunflower, and inked it with Crushed Curry and Cajun Craze. Not good.

For inspiration, I went to YouTube and Cat Hand's Mixed Media Morsels series. I'm sure she intended that anyone following along would start with #1 and work through them in order.

Not me. I jumped to #21 - Doodling. Using some Prismacolor Markers I had, I just coloured in each petal of the sunflower, alternating yellow, orange and purple. The cool thing is some of the stamped design and original colours show through.

The middle part was coloured with yellow, orange and red. Using lids of various sizes off markers, I stamped some random circles with Stampin' Up Basic Black Archival Ink.

To highlight each petal, I outlined them with a Krylon White Paint Pen and used a black gel pen to outline just the tips of each petal. The little white dots are done with the paint pen.

I was really liking it so far, but the background watercolour wash didn't do anything for the flower. So, I just coloured it all over with a blue marker. I love how some of the background still shows as shaded areas!

To give some more interest to the background, I used one of the masks from the Seasonal Decorative Masks collection in Stampin' Up!'s new Holiday Catalogue and sponged some Whisper White Craft Ink to make the dots. Flipping the mask over to wipe off ink left on the mask makes a really cool reverse pattern.

To do the doodled border, I used a purple gel pen and just did a scribbly-looking double line. The words are from the Thoughtful Banners stamp set, stamped on Whisper White CS with Basic Black Archival Ink. I used Tombow Multi-Purpose Glue to adhere them and used the black gel pen to outline each word and do the scallop detail.

I really had fun doing this! And I have several more of these failed sunflower designs to rescue from the trash. Next time, I'll do a before photo.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

It's my turn again to host a challenge and I have chosen my most favourite challenge of all - Simply Stamping. What does this mean, exactly? Well, it means just that - using inks and stamps. No die-cuts, no dry embossing (heat embossing is fine), no embellishments, no tags, banners, etc.

This takes me back to the days when I first started stamping and didn't have all the bells and whistles. I started by purchasing stamp sets I really liked, ink pad and cardstock in my favourite colours. But, I sure have learned a lot along the way!

For the theme for this challenge, I went with the current season - Fall - or Autumn - whatever you want to call it. This could encompass a whole lot of different design options such as Thanksgiving, Halloween, harvest time or just the gorgeous fall colours nature gives us.

The photo used above is one I took shortly after moving to the west coast of Canada. I was renting a ground level suite on an acreage, and this was right in the yard. So amazing!

For my sample for this challenge I was inspired to use the Vintage Leaves stamp set - what could be more perfect? - and a watercolour wash background.

Using the Watercolour Wash background stamp, I inked it with Peekaboo Peach and Crushed Curry inks. I spritzed a piece of Stampin' Up! Watercolour Paper well with water, and also spritzed the ink on the stamp. It's always a surprise to see which way the colours run!

You want to make sure your background piece is totally dry before you start stamping on it, otherwise your stamped images will not be clear.

For the lighter-coloured leaves in the background, I inked one of the leaf images with Crushed Curry and Pumpin Pie and stamped randomly several times. On the bigger leaf I used Pumpkin Pie and Cajun Craze inks. The 3 little green leaves are done with Mint Macaron and Always Artichoke. For the sentiment, I used the 'Hello' from Tin of Cards and the 'Friend' is from Thoughtful Banners.

To finish off the edges, I sponged Cajun Craze all around. Then, I thought it needed a little something else, and since I can't seem to stop using it, out came that great doodle-y looking stamp from the Tin of Cards stamp set. That little bit of Archival Black in opposite corners was just what it needed. Cajun Craze for the card base is perfect frame for the colours in the stamped images.

And that's all it is - stamps, ink, cardstock! So, dig out your favourite stamp sets and colours and - just stamp. To see what the other Watercooler Artists have done and to link up your project, visit the Watercooler Wednesday blog.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

How did this happen? It's the middle of September already - feeling like fall with leaves falling and a nip in the air. And, of course, the release of Stampin' Up!'s 2016 Holiday Catalogue.

If you haven't seen it yet - you will want to after browsing through all the gorgeous projects in this September edition of the Wacky Watercooler Blog Hop!

And if you just came from Christine's blog you already are off to a good start!

First up, for me, is a card I made using a stamp set intended for Halloween. I don't do Halloween cards or decor, but as soon as I saw this Ghoulish Grunge set - I knew I had to have it. This set has such fabulous textures that I know it will be a staple in my stamp collection. Here, I used the image that looks like cheesecloth:

Using Crumb Cake ink, I stamped it on Very Vanilla cardstock and then stamped the fern from Butterfly Basics on top of that with Emerald Envy ink.

The sentiment is from Work of Art, stamped with Dapper Denim on Very Vanilla, cut with Lots of Labels Framelits and mounted on Emerald Envy cardstock.

My newest obsession seems to be embossing the Basic Pearls with Copper Embossing Powder. That's what I did here to embellish the die cut.

I think this has a really woodsy feel to it and could be a great masculine-theme for any occasion.

Staying with using Halloween-themed products for non-Halloween projects, for this next one I used DSP from the Halloween Night Specialty DSP.

I wish I could get a whole pack of just this brick wall pattern in tones of Basic Gray! The pine boughs are done by inking the raised portion of the Pine Bough Embossing Folder with Always Artichoke ink, and then stamping it onto the DSP.

This card is also my very first Shaker Card! Using the new Foam Adhesive Strips from the 2016-2017 Annual Catalogue really makes it easy to do this.

I stamped the sentiment from Santa's Wish in Sweet Sugarplum on Whisper White. Then I used both White Mica Flakes and Fancy Frost Sequins to fill the ornament, set off with a frame of Sweet Sugarplum cardstock. A little sponging with Smoky Slate around the edges finishes things nicely and goes well with the Always Artichoke card base.

And last - but not least, as they say! - a full-on Christmas design! I really had no plan when I set out to do this, other than to use the Candy Cane Lane DSP collection. It has such cute images that just beg to be fussy-cut. So I did!

This card kind of evolved as I went - first cutting out the little houses. Then I thought the gingerbread men would look cute with the houses. And, of course, a Christmas tree or two had to be added.

A few sequins from the Fancy Frost collection are dotted across the DSP "snowy background" and Dazzling Diamonds sparkles on the rooftops of the houses. The sentiment is 3 different stamps from Thoughtful Banners, stamped with Early Espresso.

The "snow banks" at the bottom are a piece of Shimmery White CS, roughly torn. I used the Fine Tip Glue Pen where I wanted some sparkle, and sprinkled on Dazzling Diamonds.

Real Red cardstock for the card base completes a fun Christmas theme!

Next stop on your tour is Heidi. Oh, I can't wait for you to see what she has done! Just click on the 'Next' button below to continue.

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Watercooler Wednesday Challenge

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"This is a personal web site of Gail Allen, an Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, and I am responsible for its content. Stampin' Up! does not endorse the use of or contents of the classes, services, or non-Stampin' Up! products I may offer here."